Tag Archive: working out

Have you ever seen a newborn lamb? Or maybe a calf? Come to think of it, any of those newborn creatures that lift themselves delicately to their feet so early and totter, fall, stand again. Determined but oh so tender and wobbly?

Like this….

That was me today, after yesterday’s walk and this morning’s gym workout. Oh it felt wonderful at first but half an hour after leaving the gym, I sat down. Standing, for the rest of the day, became one of those faintly farcical manoeuvres, done carefully and with much thought, until my muscles warmed sufficiently to get me to the next place.

I know it’s just a function of exercise and I drank water and stretched and all those good things but I still made those little noises every time I stood up. Somehow, it mitigates the pain. I don’t know, don’t ask. 🙂

Anyway…. at the gym today, they were doing sign-ups for a challenge and before I even knew what it was about, I signed up. Nothing like throwing myself in at the deep end for getting me going again… Turns out, it’s a month long challenge, weigh-ins every week, the aim of which is to lose 5 kilos. I forget what the prize is, nothing very full on but there was a buzz in the gym and it added to the general air of fun and positivity. While I was doing the circuit, I found myself working just that little bit harder than usual, which of course is the point.

And so to tonight’s dinner. Another simple dish tonight. Chicken breast fillet, butterflied, or whatever that cut is where you slice it as though you’re opening an envelope. Served with steamed broccoli, carrot and potato and a tomato sauce. I used garlic salt and a little olive oil to cook the chicken and it was savoury and gooood.

Like this:

So I find myself laughing after reading a comment left most recently. Anonymous but recognisable for all that 🙂 The comment says that it’s okay to lose my mojo for a little while but then it’s time to get back to it, or words to that effect….and it’s true. I’ve written about a thousand posts in my head in the last few weeks. While I’ve been driving, or at the gym (yes, I’m still going), or just at random times.

Today, I was driving back from cleaning the house of a client who is no longer able to do it for themselves and feeling strong and healthy and good….because no matter how crappy some days feel, I have the choice to make it better, or not but for me it’s a choice. I did fall down for a while. Not horribly, but enough that I wondered if I was getting into some self sabotage….of course I was.

As the weather’s become colder, I’m less inclined to make salads and it’s taken some adjusting to start to be organised again and really, I know I’ve said this before but organisation is the key for me and I’m sure for lots of people. This week, I’ve stacked my freezer and fridge with good foods that are easily accessed and go well together. Pre-making and freezing meals doesn’t work so well for me I’ve discovered. I don’t know why exactly. Maybe because I like the process of cutting, cooking, hearing the sounds, smelling the smells, watching the colours jumble together and the serving up. Freezing works for huge numbers of people, I know.

So before I can think too much about it and back out, I’m issuing myself a week-long challenge to take a photo of and then post, each evening’s meal. Here on this blog. Just to keep me mindful and to get me back into the habit of coming here every night, or morning. Sheesh….that’ll make me have to up my game… 🙂

I’m still really enjoying Curves. I’ve been averaging 3-4 days a week so far and I need to add walking to that at some point soon. I love the workouts but I know that the walking makes a big difference to my mood and to my weight loss. Added to which, it often gives me inspiration for posts and/or lets me meet interesting people I might not otherwise have met.

Andy and the kids continue to be supportive and beautiful. When they thought I was indulging too much, they called me on it in a loving and humorous way that didn’t make me feel attacked or upset but just reminded me what my set goal was. I’m so glad I belong with these people.

What else? Oh, weight loss 🙂 I’m hovering at the lowest since I started this journey and while it’s great that I’m not gaining, I’m not in this to hover, so here we go again….one of many new beginnings along the way. By the time I get to my goal, I will have done this a few times probably but I will get to my goal….Success is inevitable. (I say it to myself in the shower in the morning)

I started watching makeup tutorials on Youtube recently, which prompted me to do a little updating of my makeup bag. Amazing really, that I’ve been doing essentially the same routine for the last 20 years or so. Mostly because it’s easy and fast but since I put on weight, also because I couldn’t really see the point. Which sounds sort of pathetic. Exactly how it felt, coincidentally.

While I was looking at Youtube, I also started to watch videos by a man called Elliot Hulse. He’s a body builder, who reads Ralph Waldo Emerson and Joseph Campbell, is articulate and interesting and chooses to live with integrity.

He swears, a lot….so if that’s likely to offend you, you might want to forgo his videos but I think he’s a great male role model and I’ve started showing them to our boys. They already have great male role models of course but I’m glad for them to have another. He says lots of things I try to teach them already but I figure hearing it from a huge, manly bodybuilding type might carry more weight than from their mother 🙂 I just went and had another look at his channels (he has three that I know of) and for some people, it’s just going to be too much but I stand by my opinion of him so far.

One of the other things about watching his stuff is that I felt quietly inspired to exercise and eat properly, which I appreciate.

Right, enough for tonight, except to say to the anonymous commenter, Thanks. This is yet another time in my life that you’ve given me a reminder to get back on track and I appreciate it. This is me, Bouncing Back 🙂

I went straight after work, did the couple of circuits and stretches and left feeling strong and good.

The best thing about that is that exercise really gets me in the right frame of mind for eating well and doing more exercise. Added to which, it has knock on effects for the way I feel about myself in general, the way I feel in my clothes. My breathing feels better, I shopped for gorgeous fresh foods, I just feel better and more positive.

Just two days of proper exercise has made the world of difference. Pretty amazing really.

So last week I put on a little weight, this week I took off 600g. Overall, I’m still down from where I left off in the last round and really, until now in this round, they’re just numbers. This is where it properly begins and hooray for that. 🙂

After work, my workout and some shopping, I took my lunch down to the beach and ate, watching the waves come in. It was sunshiny and lovely. When I’d finished eating, I took out the art kit my mother gave me last night. It’s a pink pencil case with a tiny set of watercolour paints, a fine point black felt-tip pen, a water brush and a small hardcover book with blank art pages inside. It’s ridiculously cute and as it turns out, very fun to play with.

I’d already done two drawings in the book, one last night just after Mum gave me the kit and one this morning, while I was waiting to begin work. I got myself comfy and sketched what I was looking at out of my window, then coloured it with water colours. It wasn’t spectacular, or even very good but it was relaxing. 🙂

I went on Thursday to have a look and then today I went for my induction and first workout. I like it. It has a positive, inclusive atmosphere. It’s a women-only gym. I’m not sure how much, if anything, that’ll add to my experience but the idea I think, is for women to feel less self-conscious, or maybe I’m missing the mark with that. Please feel free to correct me, or give your opinion. I’m open to learning.

There are strength/resistance training machines in a circuit, interspersed with walking/running/free exercise boards and every thirty seconds there’s a voiceover, across the music which says “Please move to the next machine” or something like that. I’m sure I’ll know it by heart after a session or two.

Members come in, scan their card and put their things into a locker, then do two rounds of the circuit, which takes about 30 minutes. After that, there’s stretching and voila, that’s it. At first glance, it looks pretty easy and I wondered if it’s possible to just keep going after the two circuits are completed but after doing my first workout, I get it. As long as you’re really working at the machines and keeping your heart rate up when you get to the boards in between, you should be pretty ready to stop at the end of it.

They encourage extra cardio, walking etc as well and I’ll do both. I’m glad to have joined. I was falling a bit by the wayside with exercise, after the few weeks off. This feels like a good kickstart.